The Ontario government is investing $1.1 billion over three years to expand home care services and the Hospital to Home (H2H) program, aiming to help more patients recover at home and free up hospital beds.
The announcement, made on Monday as part of the province’s upcoming Fall Economic Statement, will see $982 million go toward strengthening home care services and more than $170 million to enhance the H2H program.
The funding will support new sites and expand existing ones, connecting patients with nurses, physiotherapists, and social workers.
In a media release, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said that “By funding critical home care services and Hospital to Home programs, we are building a more self-reliant and resilient province and ensuring patients and families get the right care in the right place, at home.”
Deputy Premier and Health Minister Sylvia Jones said that families across the province want faster, more flexible access to care.
“Through our investment to strengthen and expand home care services, we are enabling more people to live, heal and thrive in their own homes, surrounded by the people that matter most,” she said.
The funding will also support 18 new H2H sites and expand 23 existing sites, reducing pressures on hospitals and long-term care homes by helping patients safely transition home sooner.
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, Raymond Cho, said the investment is particularly important as Ontario’s population ages.
“Today’s historic investment will help seniors across our province access the services they need to stay connected to their family, friends and communities,” he said.
The announcement builds on the government’s 2024 investment of $2 billion over three years, which helped increase the number of patients accessing home care by 18 per cent, reduced the wait list for personal support services by 94 per cent, and lowered unplanned hospital readmissions for H2H patients by nearly a quarter.
The province says the new funding will continue to improve access to convenient care at home, allowing more Ontarians to recover safely while easing strain on hospitals.
